CO882-(4-5) — Page 84

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O. 882

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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sont le complément d'une existence entièrement consacrée à la poursuite d'un but atteint dans une mort digne en tous points de lui, de ses convictions, de son passé.

En présence des émotions profondes que doit produire chez toute conscience ferme et droit une si belle fin, il est du devoir de chacun de tirer de l'existence correcte et correctement achevée de M. Ducray le haut enseignement qu'elle comporte. Ce devoir s'impose surtout aux jeunes, pour qui vie de M. Ducray est une signification.

M. Ducray est mort à l'âge de 74 ans. Fils de ses œuvres, il a grandi seul, il s'est fait seul. D'abord simple professeur de campagne, ensuite clerc d'avoué, avoué plus tard, maire de Port Louis, conseiller législatif, et finalement Commissaire des pauvres, il a su, dans ces différentes phases de son existence s'attirer l'estime, la sympathie, et la vénération de tous ceux qui l'ont connu. En toutes circonstances, il a été ce qu'il a voulu toujours être, un homme précis, ferme et honnête. La veille de sa mort, il était encore à son bureau, accomplissant, avec tact et supériorité les délicates et difficiles fonctions qui lui avaient été confiées. Rentré chez lui et se sentant pris d'un malaise général, il comprit, comme par intuition que l'heure fatale était proche. La mort ne le surprit point quand elle lui apprit l'arrêt de la nature; elle le trouva prêt, comme un débiteur prévoyant qu'une échéance ne tourmente pas.

M. Ducray avait voulu faire de sa vie un résultat. Il a pleinement réussi. Son existence est rette comme un total mathématique. On y cherche vainement une ombre, la moindre défaillance, le moindre faux pas. Au milieu des achoppements des une, des faiblesses des autres, M. Ducray est resté invulnérable et fortement assis dans ses idées. Il estimait que légeur à ses enfants un patrimoine de loyauté et d'honneur était pour son existence une récompense beaucoup plus sûre, plus féconde et plus vraie que la vaine réalisation, par delà le tombeau, de trompeuses espérances promises aux faibles qui captulent sur le tard de la vie. Il a vécu en libre-penseur, il est mort en libre-penseur, il a été inhumé en libre-penseur. Il avait tout prévu, tout arrêté, tout réglé. Tout fut fait suivant sa volonté.

Pour sa famille, pour ses compatriotes, la mort de M. Ducray reste un exemple.

(Signed) G. DE CORIOLIS.

Enclosure 4 in No. 31.

COPY of LETTER from MR. DE CORIOLIS on the DEBATE ON FLOGGING for PRISON

EXCELLENCY,

OFFENCES."

Les Jardies, Curepipe,

February 15, 1884.

I HAVE just read your Excellency's admirable speech, delivered about flogging, at the last meeting of the Council of Government. Moved by the noble words pronounced by your Excellency, I cannot refrain from addressing your Excellency my hearty con- gratulations for having displayed so generous sentiments, and having so strongly stigmatized a system repugnant to the feelings of the Mauritians.

It is somewhat disrespectful on the part of a man, holding so modest a place as myself in our community, to take the liberty of conveying his congratulations to a Governor. But your Excellency is animated with so broad views, that I am sure beforehand, that the natural feelings of satisfaction to which I yield, will not fail to be understood.

*

In fact, Excellency, I have some right to be proud and happy of your Excellency's achievements. When your Excellency's appointment as Governor of Mauritius was heard of in our Colony, certain cliques, under whose baneful influence our Island has too long suffered, attempted to discredit beforehand your Excellency's Government, and used all sorts of manoeuvres to present your Excellency to the Mauritians as a dangerous man. A kind of panic was beginning to prevail here, when a paper had the good idea of reproducing your Excellency's fine discourse on Kongkong, made at the Congress of Social Science. I read it and immediately said to myself: "A man who proves to be so high-minded cannot be a dangerous man. There must be some unavowed reasons "to the dread provoked by his Excellency Sir John Pope Hennessy's appointment."

Those reasons I was not long to discover. I thought it then my duty to pull off the mask of the leaders of the frightened cliques I made an appeal to the sentiments of self-respect and justice of my countrymen, asking whether it was fair and honest to attack a man before having seen him at work. I took the lead of a movement to welcome your Excellency, in order to show that there was no binding between those cliques and the Mauritians. Your Excellency, on landing on our shores, received the heartiest welcome that has ever been given to any of our Governors. Your Excellency may now

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understand why, more than any one in Mauritius, I am so glad to notice your Excellency's popularity.

Excellency, am no flatterer, I am of opinion that a man of your Excellency's value ought to despise flunkies. I have no selfish interest in siding with your Excellency's sound policy. I profess to be an independent man, and if ever believe that your Excellency is on the wrong way, I shall Goldly and firmly speak out the truth to your Excellency.

C

I am therefore at ease to clap hands at your Excellency's honest, generous, and humane policy, and to say: "Excellency, do not care of the outburst of hypocrit indignation your Excellency's policy causes on the side of some, wrongly considered as having a great influence in Mauritius. Those whose watchword is justice w always be your Excellency's supporters."

14

No. 32.

I have, &c. (Signed)

G. DE CORIOLIS,

Landing Surveyor.

GOVERNOR SIR J. POPE HENNESSY, K.C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. EDWARD STANHOPE, M.P. (Received October 22, 1886.)

(General.)

Government House, Mauritius,

September 29, 1886.

SIB,

I HAVE the honour to enclose a letter which has been addressed to you by a majority of the unofficial members of the Council of Government on what they consider to be a matter of the utmost importance.

2. The nine gentlemen who sign the letter express in measured terms the opinion that, for the good government of this Colony, it is desirable that Mr. Clifford Lloyd should not resume his post here.

3. They also refer to the attitude of the minority towards me, and they allege that

I have the sympathy of the vast majority of the inhabitants of Mauritius.

4. There is certainly a contrast between the moderate and courteous tone of their letter and the reckless statements in the letter of the minority that I also transmit to you by this mail.

The Right Hon. Edward Stanhope, M.P.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

I have, &c. (Signed) J. POPE HENNESSY.

Enclosure in No. 32.

To the Right Hon. Edward STANHOPE, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Mauritius, September 24, 1886.

SIR,

WE, the undersigned unofficial members of the Council of Government of Mauritius, beg to express our opinion on a matter of the utmost importance to this Colon v.

In the beginning of this year Mr. Clifford Lloyd was appointed Colonial Secretary or this island.

For reasons unknown to us the title of Lieutenant-Governor was also given to him. He was received by us and by all the inhabitants of this Island with due respect, and we had hoped that he would have given his cordial support to Sir John Pope Hennessy, and that he would have contributed in an efficient manner to the administration of our affairs.

But soon after his arrival it was known that he did not agree with the Governor, that all personal intercourse between them had ceased, and that their official relations had become most unpleasant.

At the second meeting of the new Council of Government we were startled by the attitude of Mr. Lloyd towards the Governor, a most unusual attitude indeed on the part of a Colonial Secretary, and shortly after we noticed that Mr. Lloyd had ceased to attend the meetings of council, to convoke the several committees of which he was the president, and even to attend his office, to the great detriment of public business.

M

24314.